Shipping and display package



June 24, 1969 P. OLEARY L 3,451,536

SHIPPING AND DISPLAY PACKAGE Filed May 15, 1968 Sheet 012' J W I INVENTORS JOHN R OLE/1R7 5.25. .5!

THOMAS E WOOL/1W4) RICHARD S. REESE JOSEPH FEUGHTWA/VGER aM a Q M ATTORNEYS Sheet ,2 of2 June 24, 1969 J, P. QLEARY ETAL SHIPPING AND DISPLAY PACKAGE Filed May 15, 1968 /!IIIIIIIIII!IIIII 1 III/ .0

INVENTORS JOHN F! O'LEARY moms P WOOLAWAY RICHARD s. REESE JOSEPH FEUCHTWA/VGER Y y 11% fimmz ATTORNEYS United States Patent U.S. Cl. 20645.33 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shipping and display package for pottery and the like comprising an assemblage of at least two molded foamed plastic sections having recesses in their inner juxtaposed faces adapted to receive the articles, and also having windows in their outer side faces to expose such articles to view.

This invention relates, as indicated, to a shipping and display package particularly suited for the shipment and display of pottery articles such as dishes, cups and saucers, and the like.

The packing and shipping of chinaware, pottery and like easily breakable articles has long posed a serious problem, frequent breakage causing both inconvenience and financial loss. Such articles are commonly individually wrapped and packed in large cartons containing a considerable quantity of materials such as excelsior to cushion the articles during shipment. They must, of course, thereafter 'be unpacked for display in a store and usually require to be cleaned or dusted in order to be suitable for such display. The ultimate purchaser must again unpack the articles, check for loss or breakage, and clean the articles before use. When less elaborate packing measures are employed, the breakage is usually correspondingly increased.

It is accordingly an important object of this invention to provide a novel shipping and display package for pottery and like articles which will effectively protect the same during shipment and which will not require to be opened in order adequately to display the same to potential purchasers.

Another object is to provide such package which may readily be transported by the ultimate purchaser, so that such purchaser, after inspecting the articles as displayed in the package at a supermarket, for example, may then select a particular package and personally carry it through the supermarket checkout.

Still another object is to provide such package which will be light in weight, inexpensive, and ornamental, as well as displaying the goods themselves in an attractive manner.

A further object is to provide such package which will keep the articles therein clean while nevertheless clearly and attractively displaying the same.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the complete package containing the articles therein ready for shipment, a portion of the transparent outer cover being broken away;

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FIG. 2 is a transverse section of the package taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

PIG. 3 is a transverse section of the package taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the container of FIG. 1 with the outer envelope removed, the two principal elements of the container opened out, and the articles removed therefrom.

Referring now more particularly to said drawing, the preferred embodiment of the invention there illustrated comprises two molded foamed plastic sections of substantial thickness having inner side faces 3 and 4 juxtaposed when assembled together. Circular recesses 5, 6, 7 and 8 are formed in the respective sections dimensioned closely to fit corresponding pottery plates, for example, and four recesses 9, 10, 11 and 12 are formed in section 1 shaped closely to fit and hold pottery cups. Such recesses extend from the inner side faces through to the outer side faces of the respective sections to provide windows whereby the articles are exposed to view when the two sections are juxtaposed as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

Section 2 is provided with a peripheral flange 13 which interfits with :a corresponding peripheral recess 14 surrounding the opposed inner face of molded plastic section 1. The upper inner edge of section 1 is provided with two spaced slots 15 and 16 adapted to receive a strap handle member 17 inserted therethrough, such strap handle having enlarged end portions such as washers 18 and 19 effective to prevent outward withdrawal of the handle. Of course, when section 2 is juxtaposed to section 1 it thereby likewise secures handle 17 against lateral withdrawal from such slots. For shipping purposes the handle 17 may be pushed down so as to lie nearly flat against the outer surface of section 1, as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing.

The circular recesses '5, 6, 7 and 8 are provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced protuberances such as 20, 21, 22 and 23 adjacent the outer or window sides of the molded plastic sections 1 and 2, thereby to engage the plates received in the corresponding recesses and secure them against outward displacement or withdrawal. Generally similar protuberances such as 24, 25 and 26 engage and secure the cups received in recesses 9, 10, 11 and 12. The molded plastic sections 1 and 2 may desirably have their inner faces formed 'with portions or bosses such as 27 and 28 to engage 'and support the plates 29 and 30 received in recesses 7 and '8, respectively. Likewise, boss 31 projecting from the inner side face of section 1 is adapted to engage and-support the plates 32 received in recess 6 of molded plastic section 2. The plates 33 received in large recess 5 in section 2 are engaged and supported by the central portion of the inner face of section 1. Packing material such as corrugated paper 34 may also desirably be interposed between the individual plates of a stack received in any particular recess, and similar packing material, not shown, may be placed internally of the package to cushion the cups 35.

When the pottery articles have thus all been packed within the respective molded foamed plastic sections 1 and 2, the 'two sections are juxtaposed in interfitting relationship with the articles thereby firmly secured therein. The two sections may then be joined together by means of adhesive tape such as 36, the handle 17 pushed down flat, and the entire package enclosed within a tightly fitting envelope or transparent plastic film 37, such as polyethylene which may be shrunk closely thereabout. Such envelope further serves to secure the two sections of the package together and also, of course, keeps the package and its contents clean while nevertheless exposing the pottery or other articles to View.

One or more shipping and display packages, as above described, may be packed in corrugated cardboard cartons for shipment to a supermarket, for example, where they will be removed from such cartons and placed on display on the supermarket shelves. Customers may readily inspect the contents of the packages to select a desired pattern without danger of breakage through handling. Petty theft is also obviously discouraged. When a selection has been made, the customer need merely break the plastic envelope in the region of the handle, pick up the package thereby, and carry it to the nearest checkout counter. When he reaches home, the package is readily opened and the contents removed from the inner sides thereof.

It will accordingly be seen that the new container and package not only fully protects even relatively fragile contents but also serves to display the same in an unusually attractive manner, even showing substantial outer edge portions of the article. An example of each article is visible to the customer who thereby knows exactly what he is purchasing without the necessity of first opening the package. The preferred foamed polystyrene material may readily be molded to desired configuration, including ornamental shapes, and ;may be colored to enhance its attractiveness. By providing internal reliefs, as shown, the amount of plastic material required may be minimized and costs reduced, while still affording a generally solid external appearance to the viewer. The contents are cushioned between the plastic protuberances at the windows and the internal back-up bosses on the other sections, such foamed plastic being generally rigid but capable of a degree of yielding action. Such protuberances also serve to hold the articles sufficiently recessed from the outer faces of the container sections to minimize likelihood of their being accidentally brought into contact with any hard object and the outer plastic envelope provides additional protection in this regard. The two sections of the container are packed from the inside at the factory and the articles can thereafter be removed by a reverse procedure only; accordingly, full protection is provided from factory to home while nevertheless facilitating display and sale of the contents.

Other modes of applying the principles of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

We therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. A shipping and display package comprising an assemblage of at least two molded foamed plastic sections of substantial thickness having juxtaposed inner side faces, with recesses in said inner side faces and articles received therein in closely fitting relationship, said sections .also having windows in their outer side faces corresponding to such recesses to expose said articles to view, but said windows being of smaller transverse dimensions than such corresponding recesses to secure said articles against outward displacement or withdrawal, and means releasably securing said sections thus assembled.

2. The package of claim 1, wherein such windows are of the same dimensions as the corresponding recesses except for the provision of spaced protuberances at the outer edges of such windows adapted to engage spaced outer edge portions of said articles in such recesses.

3. The package of claim 1, wherein the said juxtaposed sections are substantially entirely enclosed within a tightly fitting envelope of transparent plastic film.

4. The package of claim 1, wherein portions of the inner faces of each said section engage and support said articles received in such recesses in the other said section.

5. The package of claim 1, including spaced slots in one edge of the inner face of one said section, a strap handle member inserted through such slots, and enlarged means on the ends of said member to prevent outward Withdrawal of said handle, said handle being secured against lateral withdrawal from such slots by means of the other said section juxtaposed thereto.

6. The package of claim 5, wherein said strap handle is pushed through such slots sufiiciently to flatten said handle against the outer surface of said section, and said package including said handle is enclosed within a tightly fitting envelope of transparent plastic film.

7. The package of claim 6, wherein said articles are pottery articles, and one said section has a peripheral flange about its inner face interfitting with a corresponding peripheral recess surrounding the opposed inner face of said other section.

8. The package of claim 1, wherein the outer edges of such windows are provided with integral circumferentially spaced protuberances of substantial thickness engaging pottery articles in such recesses, thereby holding said articles spaced inwardly from the planes of the outer sides of said sections, integral bosses on the inner sides of said sections engaging and supporting at least certain of said articles in such recesses, thereby holding said articles firmly between said protuberances and said bosses, said two sections being formed to interfit and thereby prevent relative lateral displacement when assembled together, a retractable handle member secured to one said section adapted to be pushed in substantially flush with the outer surface thereof, and a tightly fitting envelope of transparent plastic film enclosing said package including said handle member.

9. A shipping and display container comprising two molded foamed plastic sections of substantial thickness having inner side faces adapted to be juxtaposed when said sections are assembled together, with recesses in said inner side faces adapted to receive articles inserted and fitted therein from said inner sides only, such recesses extending through said sections to expose such articles to view from the outer sides thereof but having restricted outer openings effective to secure such articles against outward displacement or withdrawal, and means adapted releasably to secure said sections thus assembled.

10. The container of claim 9, including portions of the inner faces of at least one of said sections opposed to at least certain of such recesses in the other of said sections to support such articles firmly in such recesses.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,986,403 1/1935 Lehmkuhl. 3,243,037 3/1966 Luertzing 2061 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

JOHN M. CASKIE, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

